Ear zap eases back pain? new study tests nerve stimulation gadget

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female aged ≥30 and ≤65 years * Indication: chronic myofascial/musculoskeletal back pain * normal function of spinal nerves * Intractable pain for more than 6 months * Patient on oral pharmacotherapy ≤ WHO II with no adequate response or intolerant * Severity according to "Leistungskategorie 2" of BVAEB classification, which means Barthel Index 35-80, 6-minute walk test 300-480 m OR ergometry 50-80%/0.75-1.25, ICF-Core-Sets grade 3 * Average pain over the last 4 weeks according to painDETECT ≥ 4 and ≤ 9 at baseline * ODI 20-80 at baseline * Patient understands the therapy and procedures, agrees to its provisions, and gives written informed consent prior to any procedures Exclusion Criteria: * Organic back pain (trauma, fracture, tumor, infection, severe degenerative spine, documented high-grade spinal stenosis, rheumatologic conditions) * Indication for back surgery * Radicular pain * Back surgery within the last 6 months * New analgesics 2 weeks before baseline (paracetamol, NSAIDs, Metamizol, etc.) * Opioid analgesic therapy \> WHO II * Underwent other physical therapy modalities for back pain, also TENS, 2 weeks before baseline * History of vagus nerve stimulation or electrical auricular stimulation * History of vasovagal syncope * High BMI \> 35 kg/m² (Obesity Class 2 or higher) * Hemophilia or strong anti-coagulation medication * Autonomic disorders * Advanced stage or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus type I or II * Poorly controlled high blood pressure * Major psychiatric comorbidity (at the discretion of the PI) * Other serious clinically relevant co-morbidity * History of arrhythmia, bradycardia, other rhythm disorders or any other clinically significant cardiac anomalies * Infection, eczema, or psoriasis at application site (ear and neck) * Numbed and desensitized skin at the application site (ear and neck) * Chronic drug or alcohol abuse within the last 6 months * Pregnant or nursing female patients * Active implantable device * Open pension request * Currently participating in another clinical trial or participated over the last 3 months * Relevant change in concomitant treatment or medication during the study